Marcus Rashford marked the beginning of his Aston Villa chapter with a debut appearance against Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup on Sunday.
The 27-year-old, who joined Villa on loan from Manchester United last month, came off the bench in the 66th minute and contributed to a high-intensity press that impressed fans. Rashford’s move to Aston Villa follows a period of being frozen out at Manchester United by manager Ruben Amorim, who questioned his training efforts. However, it seems Rashford has arrived at his new club in excellent physical condition, having recorded one of the lowest body-fat percentages during his medical check-up.
After helping Aston Villa secure a 2-1 win over Tottenham, Rashford expressed gratitude for the warm reception he received from fans through an Instagram post: “Thank you for the warm welcome. Great team performance.”
This message was met with support from former teammates Luke Shaw and Bruno Fernandes, as well as ex-Manchester United player Ravel Morrison. Aston Villa holds a £40 million option to make Rashford’s move permanent at the end of the season. Given his promising start and fitness level, there is speculation that this clause might be triggered if he continues to impress.
Rashford is expected to push for his first start when Aston Villa faces Ipswich Town in their upcoming Premier League match. His performances will undoubtedly be under scrutiny as he seeks to revive his career away from Old Trafford.
Despite receiving criticism from some Manchester United fans following his debut appearance for another club, Rashford appears focused on making an impact at Aston Villa under Unai Emery’s guidance.